


dragonspawn

by salazarastark



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gen, R plus L equals J
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-02-06
Updated: 2017-08-04
Packaged: 2018-01-11 10:50:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 10,284
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1172172
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/salazarastark/pseuds/salazarastark
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Robert finds out about Jon and everyone realizes another war might be upon them.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Robert I

**Author's Note:**

> Done for this prompt at the ASoIaF kink meme: AU Jon, Lyanna, Robert. R+L=J
> 
> Robert finds out about Jon and rides to Winterfell to confront Ned and get rid of the last of the dragonspawn that he can get his hands on.
> 
> But when he gets there he sees a little toddling lad who looks nothing like his father and is the image of mother.
> 
> Robert can't kill him - not with his lost loves eyes staring up him from behind Ned's leg.
> 
> Bonus points for Varys, Jamie or Barristan Selmy plotting to save Jon from Robert
> 
> Betaed by the great L_Cloudy.

"You can't kill the babe!" Jaime yelled, his green eyes desperate; and Robert growled. He knew that the Kingslayerhad probably got to know Rhaegarwhen he had servedAerys, but he hadn't expected that Jaime couldn't see the sense in having all the dragonspawnkilled. And though he couldn't get to Rhaegar's younger siblings, at least he could damn well get to his son.

"Your Grace, I have to agree with Ser Jaime on this subject," Selmybegan, as Jaime sent the older man an affronted look. "What's the harm in the boy growing up as a bastard with Ned Stark? Even if he is true-born, the Baratheonsrule Westerosnow. Not the Targaryens."

"Agreed," Varyssaid. "Let the boy live and gain his and his family's loyalty. And if he does rise up to try to seize the throne, he should beas easy to crush as Rhaegar was that day on the Trident; and you can paint him as a greedy little boy who couldn't accept the gracious gift that you offer him."

_Varys '_ _is_ _wrong_ _though_ , Robert thought. Rhaegarhadn't been easy to kill. Their fight had been truly up to the gods that day and if luck had been on Rhaegar'sside instead of Robert's, then it would be the other man sitting on the Iron Throne now. Robert hardly ever sat on the damn thing, it was too uncomfortable, but now he needed to. He needed to reassure himself that the throne that he had paid for in blood and sweat of fine men from all over Westeros was truly his.

Not some dragonwhelp's, who had killed his mother when coming into the world. Lyannacould have been his queen now instead of Cerseiif she had been able to get her hands on some moon tea after the surely brutal rape that brought the boy into the world. Rhaegarmust have denied her that though, Rhaegarkilled her through his son and Robert knew that Lyanna would want the thing that murdered her gone from the world. He didn't realize that he had said the last part of his thoughts until Jaime broke them, almost screaming, "She wouldn't!"

Robert turned around, furious. "How dare you presume to know what she felt? How dare you presume to know what she wanted? I was her betrothed! Not you. She was supposedto be my wife, not your sister!"

Jaime's face became cold. "You say you knew her, but how many times did you meet her? Once I believe. At Harrenhal, correct? Are you saying she told you what she wanted you to do if she was ever raped and had a child? Or can you not comprehend the fact that possibly Lyanna Stark might have loved her child? That Ned Stark might have never told you for this very reason? God's be good, I'll never like Stark, but I can't think of a time when I thought you would be a better king that he would be!"

Jaime didn't even see the punch that sent sprawling ontothe floor. Robert looked at the man on the ground coldly. "Jaime Lannister, from this moment on, you are no longer apart of the Kingsguard. You will be reinstatedas heir for Casterly Rock because I need your father to help me kill this boy, but if you ever come back I will have you seized and sent to the Wall.

"Leave now. Cersei will find someone to send you your things."

The Kingslayer picked himself off the ground, glaring at Robert with a fierceness he had never seen on anybody before. Without a word, he left the throne room.

Selmyand Varyshad watched the exchange with silence, though their faces told Robert all he needed to know. Selmywas surprisedby Jaime's vigor to protect the boy and respected him a bit more for it, and respected Robert a lot less. He didn't care. The Kingsguardwas there to protect, not to judge. As long as Selmy kept silent, Robert didn't care what his thoughts were.

Varysjust managed to perfect his look on appearing both interested and bored at the same time.

"Robert."

He turned. Jon was standing at the doors of the throne room. His eyes were filledwith disappointment, as they always seemed to be filled lately. "Care to explain what I just heard? You aren't truly talking about killing a child, are you?"

"It's not a child. It's dragonspawn" Robert said.  _Why couldn't anyone see that?_ he thought as he waved Selmyand Varys out of the room.

"Jon Targaryenis a child." Robert flinched atthe full name. "He may beRhaegar'sson, but he is also Lyanna's."

"Rhaegarraped Lyanna. Are you telling me that she would want him to live?"

"If Lyanna truly didn't want her child, you don't think she would have figured some way to get rid of him before he was born, even without moon tea? And what if she wasn't raped?"

Robert flinched. He heard the whispers and the rumors of the court. That Lyannahad run off with RhaegarTagraryenbecause she didn't want to marry him. He refused to listen. His Lyanna wouldn't have done it.

"She was, Jon. She wouldn't have run away from our marriage," he responded vehemently. "She wouldn't have."

Jon sighed. "Let the child live, Robert. Stannis' wife just announced her pregnancy. If it's a girl, marry her to the boy and let him disappear on Dragonstone if he's true-born. Send him to the Wall when he's old enough if he's a bastard. Either way, let him live."

"And what if I don't?"

"Then I will leave my place as Hand and taking Lysaback to the Eyrie. I'll stay neutral in this war for as long as I can and hopefully you and Ned will remember that you two use to be closer than you were to your own brothers. But I will not let an innocent child be killed no matter what his father might have done to his mother." Robert could tell the hidden meaning in his words.

_I'll stay out of this fight unless Ned is losing and then I'll join his side._

Robert wanted Jon to take back his words, same as he knew Jon wanted to have an apology and a promise to not hurt Jon Targaryen. Still Robert knew that neither of them would get what they want. He closed his eyes as Jon turned around and walked out of the room. He didn't want to see him leave.


	2. Ned I

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for all the comments and kudos!

There was no love lostbetween Ned Stark and Jaime Lannister, but now Ned was thanking the old gods for the man and the remains of honor that he still had. Lannister had sent a raven informing him that Robert had found out about Jon, though the letter hadn't detailed how. Ned didn't even know if Jaime knew how Robert found out.

Ned crumbled the letter in his fist. He loved Robert liked a brother, but he couldn't deny that he hadn't worried about this day arriving. He had almost told Robert about Jon, but then he had remembered what Robert had said about the young prince and princess and their deaths.

 _Dragonspawn_.

That word haunted Ned's dreams; and he had more than once woken up in a cold sweat when he had nightmares of Robert chopping off his nephew's head and repeating that word, over and over again. He had failed his sister by not protecting her and now he was about to fail her son.

Ned turned around as he heard the door open. As soon as he had gotten the letter, he had MaesterLuwinget both Ser Roderick and Catelyn. He wanted to tell them all at the same time.

"MaesterLuwin, please send out a letter to call the banners and tell them to prepare. Robert will need to prepare himself, there may be a war."

For a minute, no one said anything. Then Catelyn broke the silence.

" _Why_?"

"Because Robert just found out who Jon's parents were."

The silence and shock that followed that statement was suffocating. MaesterLuwin'smouth fell open and Ser Rodrik'seyes almost popped out of his head. Ned wasn't paying attention to them however. He was focusedon Catelyn. She had composed her face into into a neutral expression, but her blue eyes just blazed in fury, anger, and confusion.

"Who were _they_?" she asked after a minute, stressing the last word. Stressing that Ned had included a father in whatever Robert had found out.

Ned closed his eyes and sighed. "Rhaegarand Lyanna. Jon is their truebornson." MaesterLuwinand Ser Rodrik'sexpression became almost comical, but Ned didn't feel like laughing. All he could do was stare at his wife. His beautiful, wonderful, amazing wife who he just now realized that he had hurt so very deeply.

Catelynflinched. "I see. Forgive me my Lord, but I need to leave." She curtsied and left the room. Ned hated thatshe was so formal with him. The last time she had been was two years ago and she had asked if AsharaDayne was Jon's mother.

He wished he could have told her the truth even then.

"Lord Eddard," Ser Rodrikbegan. "I think I should start the preparationsfor the possibility ofa war. Perhaps you should find-" The knight stopped talking and Ned knew that he would only be the first that would become so confused. Should Ned find Jon? Or should he find the rightful King of the Seven Kingdoms?

Ned nodded. "I think I shall." He left the room to find his s-, his _nephew_.

Jon was in his chambers and Ned held him close. The four-yearold clearly thought it was odd that his father had suddenly appeared to only hug him, but Jon still hugged him back and that was all Ned wanted. He remembered Lyanna and how she made him promise that Ned would always keep her child safe, but Ned hadn't need any convincing because as soon as he had held Jon in his arms, Jon became _his_. His son, and Ned would fight a thousand wars to keep the boy safe.

"What's the matter, Papa? Why are you so sad?" Jon asked him, as he looked at Ned with his big, gray eyes when Ned finally let go. Ned sighed and smoothed back Jon's hair from his face.

"You know that I love you right Jon? With all my heart. And I need to tell you something. It's about your mother."

Jon's eyes widen and he looked at Ned with disbelief. The only thing Ned had ever told him about his mother was that it wasn't Catelyn. Then Jon smiled brightly and started talking fast, "You are! What was she like? Was she pretty? I bet she was pretty."

Ned swallowed the lump in his throat. "She was kind, wild, fierce, cold, intelligent, clever, and brave. She loved you more than anything else in the world and she was beautiful. But before I tell you anything else, what do you know about my sister, your Aunt Lyanna?"

Jon frowned as he tried to remember. "She ran off with a prince, right? Then he died and she died." Jon's eyes grew wide. "Did she know my mommy?"

Ned closed his eyes and took a deep breath. The next words out of his mouth would completely change Jon's world, and Ned just wanted him to be on stable ground for as long as he could. He opened his eyes.

"Jon, she was your mommy. And that prince was your daddy. I'm your uncle, like Uncle Benjen."

For a minute, time seemed to stand still. Ned began to think that Jon understood what he was saying and then Jon shook his head. "No. You're wrong. You're not like Uncle Benjen, you're my daddy. A dead prince is not my daddy!"

"He is Jon. I'm sorry, but he is. He loved you though. He never met you, but he loved you just like I do." In truth, Ned had no knowledge about Rhaegar'sfeelings for his younger son, but no matter what they were, Jon needed to believe that he was loved. "He wanted you to besafe and so did your mother, and that's why I had to tell people that you were my son. That's why I had to tell you that you were my son though blood.

"But know this Jon. Know that just because you aren't my son though blood doesn't mean that you aren't. Doesn't mean that Robb and Sansa aren't your siblings and doesn't mean that I wouldn't do anything to keep you safe and protected.

"Do you understand that?"

Jon shook his head. "No. No, you're my daddy!" he screamed, bursting into tears. "You're my daddy!"

Suddenly, Catelynwalked into the room. Ned didn't know how much she had heard, but as soon as she did, Jon grew quiet. He had learned to make himself scarce wheneverCatelyn had been around before, not because of her mistreating him, but the awkward stuffiness of the room had always made him go away.

Catelynlooked at Jon with her sweet blue eyes that had begun to fill with tears. "Oh, Jon," she said. "Forgive me. Please forgive me. I did not know." She knelt in front of Jon and wiped away the tears from his cheeks before she drew Jon into a hug. " _I did not know_ ," she whispered as Jon started crying again. Ned stared at his wife and nephew.

He ignored the blurriness in his own eyes.

Ned had never really thought about what Catelynmust have thought about Jon, other than she would be hurt that he was raising his supposedly bastard son along their true-born one; but that to him was a necessary evil to protect Jon. Catelyn had behaved better than most women would have in dealing with the situation Ned had been forced to put her in. She ignored Jon and she wasn't willing to play mother, but as long as she didn't mistreat him, Ned was happy.

No, Ned had never really thought about what Catelyn would think of the truth. He had assumed that she would be angry and that she would be upset, but he hadn't realized what the depths of those feelings would be.

Ned had felt like his heart had been ripped out of his chest when she looked at him and yelled, asking why he didn't trust her. He had only been barely able to choke out that he did it to protect her, but as he looked at her, not being able to look at him and simply running her fingers through Jon's hair, he wondered if he had really protected her. She still ended up hurt.

He didn't know how to heal the wounds that he had caused.


	3. Catelyn I

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for all the love! The next chapter might be awhile, but hopefully not to long. :)

Catelynheld Jon until he cried himself asleep, then tucked him into bed. She felt a few tears roll down from her eyes as she listened to his breathing even out; tears she had not meant to let fall. Catelyn licked her dry lips and, still refusing to look at Ned, ran her fingers through Jon's brown hair, and she asked the question she desperately wanted the answer to, and yet never wanted to know.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

She could feel Ned's gaze on her, but she still didn't look at him. She couldn't look at him. Catelyn continued talking.

"I understand why you did it, but _why didn't you tell me_?"

Catelyn finally looked at Ned, anguish filling her. She loved her husband, but in this moment she had never felt more betrayed.

"I never would have told anyone. I would have been able to look at Jon and not wonder who the woman who captured your heart was! I would have never stayed up nights, wondering where she was and if you still loved her!" she screamed, not caring how she hysterical she might sound.

Ned looked at her, calm and quiet, and Catelynhated that. Hated him for onemoment that he was able to stand so strong when her world had crumbled around her. "I'm sorry, Cat. But I had to do it."

Catelynshook her head. "You did, I know. I understand. But that's not what I'm asking!" Catelyn looked away and back at Jon. She whispered, "I would have trusted you. Why didn't you trust me?"

She barely heard what he said next and pretended that she didn't.

"Because it was the only way I thought you could be safe."

After a few minutes spent in silence, she heard Ned get up and leave the room. She knew he was as desperate for her touch as she was for his, but in the end neither moved.

She didn't watch him leave and, as soon as she heard the door close, the tears that she had held back started streaming silently down her cheeks.

Catelynhad constantly wondered who Jon Snow's mother was and sometimes she would recreate the woman in her head. She knew it wasn't healthy, she knew she shouldn't reflect on the past, Ned was her husband now and that was all that mattered, even if he had loved another woman more than her at some point. She couldn't help it though.

Sometimes it was AsharaDayne, with her great beauty. Jon was a beautiful child, it was easy to see him one day becoming a handsome man, as much as Catelynloathed to admit it. Sometimes she thought his mother had been simply a whore, sometimes a peasant, sometimes a noble woman from another house, but she was always a mystery. Catelyn had slowly come to accept that she might not never know the woman who made the honorable Ned Stark forgot his marriage vows and she wasn't sure how she felt about that.

And now she wasn't sure how she felt about this.

On one hand, Catelynfelt a greater joy than she had ever felt before. The knowledge that Ned had only loved her, or had at least not acted on any feelings of love that he may have made for another woman, was a burden lifted from her shoulders, a burden she'd been carrying for so long that she had almost forgotten about it. On the other, fear and anger raged inside her. Ned had risked her safety and her children's safety and the North was about to bethrown into war, but that wasn't why Catelyn was angry.

The Tully family words were _Family, Duty, Honor_. Ned should have told her about Jon.  Catelynhad stormed out of MaesterLuwin'schambers as soon as he was finishedtelling the story of how he found LyannaStark at the Tower of Joy. She laid no fault on his shoulder's for taking in and protecting his sister's son, that was only right, and she would have done the same thing if Lysahad been in that situation. But she would have told Ned. She would have burnt the title of whore the world would have thrown at her because she would have had him at her side. She would have trusted him to be by her side.

Obviously Ned didn't trust her.

Catelyn's thoughts turned back to Jon and the guilt she had always managed to keep at bay, managed to keep pushed down inside her came out.

She had refused to show the boy any compassion other than basic human decency. She made sure the boy was well-fed and well-taken care of, that he could have a relationship with his siblings, his cousins now, but otherwise she stayed far away from the boy.

Of course, as it turned out, there were some out there who might say that Jon was her rightful king.

And if this upcoming war turned out in their favor, if the North managed to protect Jon, if Ned was forcedto stop Robert from hurting his nephew, if Ned was forced to _kill_ Robert, Jon would probably become her king in truth.

Catelyn sighed. She needed to write to her father.

She needed to convince him to make the Tullyswould side with the North. She needed to convince him to make the Tullys stand with Jon.

_Family, Duty, Honor._

"Lady Catelyn," she heard a small voice say. She looked down. Jon was awake, his eyes still filled with tears and Catelyn brushed her tears away quickly. She didn't want Jon to see them. He shouldn't see them.

"Aunt Catelyn," she corrected. "I'm Aunt Catelynnow." It was odd to say and think now. It was odd how warm she felt towards him now. It was odd to say how much she wanted to protect him now. The guilt of her neglect seemed to crush a bit more.

"So it's true."

"Yes. It is."

Jon looked at her, his gray eyes wide. Catelynstudied his face. His coloring was Stark and most of his features were, too; but there things that Catelynthought might be Targaryen. His nose. The shape of his eyes. His high cheekbones. A certain grace on his face that neither Ned, Brandon, Benjen, or even their Lord Father had. Perhaps Lyanna had that though.

"My daddy's a prince," Jon said matter-of-factly.

"Yes," Catelyn replied.

"And my mommy is Aunt Lyanna."

"Yes."

Jon's eyes seemed to get even wider as he asked the question that he seemed to truly want the answer to.

"Am I still a bastard?"

Catelyn swallowed the lump in her throat as she told Jon the truth. "No."

"What am I then?" Jon smiled and then asked excitedly, "Am I a Prince?"

"No," Catelyn replied more harshly than she meant and the smile slid off Jon's face. "You are a King."

_ You are RhaegarTargaryen'sonly living child. You are the boy who everyone thought was a bastard, but instead had been King since before you were ever born. _

"I'm King?" Jon asked, wide-eyed with excitement, his smile back on his face. He seemed to have forgotten all about his hurt over the fact that Ned was not his father and was just focused on the fact that he was now apparently a King, one the Baratheonsand the Lannisters would want to kill.

Catelyn wished that she could do the same. "Yes, you are."

As she looked at Jon, she found herself speaking, "Many people are going to expect things from you because of it and many people are not going to like you for it. Just remember who you are. Can you do that? Can you remember who you are?"

Jon nodded, clearly confused. "I'm a King."

"You are King Jon Targaryen, son of Prince RhaegarTargaryenand LyannaStark, nephew of Lord Eddard Stark. They will want you to forget it. Never do.

"Now," Catelynsaid, smiling, not wanting Jon to get scared, though he probably should be. The boy should stay a boy for just a bit longer. "How about we go get Robb, and we ask Jory to help with training? Sansaand I will watch from the sidelines and we'll see how well the two of you are doing." Jon and Robb both loved training and sparring, and they were both becoming quite good at it. Sansajust loved being held, though watching the training left her boredand she would start messing with Catelyn's hair after a few minutes.

She would write to her father tonight. Right now, she just wanted to watch her son and her nephew spar and hold her daughter. She just wanted to enjoy the peace that would be disrupted by the war that was coming.


	4. Robert II

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy!

TywinLannister looked at Robert with cold green eyes. _Damn the man,_ Robert thought. _He seems to have your very soul and he'll only give it back once you've paid a small price._

"So," his good-father began. "You want me to help you kill RhaegarTargaryen's last living child? Well, I'm afraid you'll have actually have to kill this one yourself."

Robert was at CasterlyRock, sitting across from TywinLannister. He had sent letters to Dragonstoneand Storm's End as soon as he had arrived, informing them to raise their banners to help get rid of this Targaryen threat.

Robert nodded at Tywin'swords. He had no qualms about whatever or not he would be able to kill the boy, with how Targaryen he must look. "I understand," he responded gruffly.

Tywin narrowed his eyes. "What do my children think of this? I've heard my son is not happy."

Somehow the knowledge of the boy had gotten out, though Littlefingerhad sworn that he had no idea of how. When Robert had asked how Littlefingerhad found out about the boy in the first place, the man had just said that he heard rumors that Ned Stark's bastard was not truly his bastard. Where he heard these rumors, Littlefinger would not say and Robert didn't bother to ask.

"Your sondoes not approve of my plans for Jon Targaryen. I don't know how Cersei feels." He honestly didn't care.

"He's not happy," Robert continued saying. "He doesn't think we should kill the boy, though he was perfectly happy killing his grandfather. That's why I dismissed him from the Kingsguard, and he is now your heir again. You'll need one now that you're my Hand."

Tywinnodded. He was pleased, Robert could tell, though he couldn't really give a fuck. He need TywinLannister and he would do just about anything to get on his good side.

"CasterlyRock is behind you, Your Grace. There is, of course, the question of allies."

Robert nodded as he took a sip of his wine and Tywinwent on. "Highgardenwill side with you if you betrothyour son to Mace Tyrell's daughter. I saw him a few months ago for business and he mentioned it. It would not be a bad idea.

"Riverrunwill almost certainly side with Winterfell, and I would worry about the Vale if it weren't for Jon Arryn having been near father to you."

Robert sighed. "Jon does not approve of the fact that the boy needs to die, but he has never approved of me and Ned fighting. He'll stay neutral."

_Unless I start winning this war._

"The question now is Dorneand the Iron Islands. The Iron Islands will want much to do with picking a side and more to do with looting the loser. Still, I'll write to BalonGreyjoy. They might be able to distract the North long enough with raids for us to gain the upper hand.

"Dornewill never side with us for the incident withthe Princess and her children, and we just have to hope that the fact it's LyannaStark's son will be enough for them to decide not to put another Targaryen on the throne.

"The Stormlandswill side with you, of course, but there isthe question ofthe Crownlands. Many of them are still loyal in their hearts to the Targaryens. All you have in guarantee is Dragonstone and that is not enough."

"I am their king, they will side with me!" Robert nearly growled at Tywin.

"Perhaps," Tywinsaid curtly. "But House Velaryon is one house Ned Stark can surely count on. Can you say for certain there are no others?"

Robert looked away. He knew that the peace of his kingdom was fragile. He knew many Lord's that he counted as his friends would not hesitate to turn to Ned and this false boy king, if they decided that the stability ofthe realm had been better when the Targaryens ruled.

"I am their king. They will side with me," Robert said. He had to believe that.

Tywinnarrowed his eyes, but he didn't say anything else. "Very well, Your Grace. I might suggest you send the letters to your brothers and Mace Tyrell himself, it will carry more weight."

Robert nodded. He didn't really care about anything else Tywinhad to say, he just wanted to leave the solar and find some pretty girl to fuck until he was forced to do his duty.

Later that night, after he found a pretty bedmaidwith long brown hair and probably gave her a bastard, Robert sat down to write the letter's he knew he had to. Stannisand Renlywere easy, just a simple command to prepare for war. Mace Tyrellrequired a gentler approach, asking for both his support with the war and for his daughter to marry Joffreywhen they both were of age. Robert couldn't make it seem though that the reasons were interconnected, even though anyone with a half a brain in their head would be able to figure it out.

Robert had thought that one day he would marry Joffreyto Ned's daughter, only a few months old now, but of course that could now never be. He decided that he wouldn't kill Ned's wife or children, though he would obviously have to kill Ned and the Targaryen child.

Gods, he hated that boy, the monster that had grown in Lyanna'swomb and that killed her as it clawed its way out. He remembered what Jon Arrynhad said about if Lyannahad truly not wanted that child, she would have figured some way to get rid of it. Robert didn't believe that for a second. Rhaegarand his men probably watched her like a hawk throughout the entire pregnancy. But Robert knew that the first chance she had, Lyannawould have killed the child. She would have known that he would have taken her back, would have wanted to produce true-born children with her no matter how much Rhaegar despoiled her.

For the thousandth time, Robert cursed RhaegarTargaryenfor kidnapping Lyannaand now cursed Jon Targaryen for killing her. Robert wondered how Ned could claim he felt any sort of love for his sister if he had not killed this young dragon when it had just been born and not for the first time, cursed his friend's soft heart.

Once Cerseihad yelled at him with tears in her eyes, and slurring with wine, that she had wished that she had married Ned instead of him, even if that meant only being Lady of Winterfell. Robert had slapped her hard enough that she fell to the floor and he had simply responded that it was all very well that she wished she had married Ned. If he couldn't have Lyanna, he'd rather have Catelyn Tully.

Not for the first time, he wished Ned _had_ married Cersei now. Gods know those two deserved each other in their treachery.

Robert finished the letter to Mace Tyrell. It could probably be better, more flowery, but he didn't really care. All it mattered was that it got the job done and Robert knew that it would.

Robert had met Mace Tyrellonce, an ambitious man whoreminded Robert of TywinLannister. Mace Tyrellthat wanted his daughter to beQueen and would do everything he could to ensureit. Robert wondered if he should say that in front of Lord Tywin, and laughed as he imagined the man's face upon hearing those words.

Robert briefly wondered where Jaime Lannisterwas. Tywinhad not seemed surprised when Robert told him that he had released his son from the Kingsguard, which did not surprise Robert, but the only son of Tywin'sthat Robert had seen at CasterlyRock was the dwarf. Jaime Lannisterwas nowhere to befound, and he had a day's head start than Robert. With being a better rider and without a court retinue and other members of the Kingsguard, he should have arrived here a few days ago at least.

Yet he was nowhere to be seen.

Robert pushed it out of his mind. Tywin had most likely sent his son to a brother, as he surely heard about the fight between them.

There was nothing more to worry about. Yet Robert couldn't stop feeling like he had much to worry about when it came to Jaime Lannister.


	5. Jaime I

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had planned for this story to simply rotate through Robert, Ned, and Catelyn's point-of-view's, but the chapter worked best with Jaime. Enjoy!

Jaime had just barely arrived at Casterly Rock when he decided to head north. As soon as he had seen, looming above him, the castle that he would one day inherit now that Robert had removed his from the Kingsguard, he knew that he couldn’t enter its gates. He had turned around, mentally calculating the distance to Winterfell and how soon he could get there without killing his horse.

Jaime had only met Lyanna Stark once, at Harrenhal. He remembered that she had been a tall, slender thing with big gray eyes and long brown hair in a pretty blue dress. She had been beautiful, and while he could understand why Rhaegar had looked twice at her, he couldn’t understand why Rhaegar would prefer her over Cersei though a part of him had been a little bit glad that the prince had not chosen his sister.

Jaime had stopped caring about Robert the minute Cersei had married him and had started loathing him the minute Joffrey was born. The only thing that kept him from forsaking his vows as a member of the Kingsguard was Cersei and the fact that she didn’t love Robert. How could he leave his sweet sister when he knew that? But he had always been glad that Cersei had never married Rhaegar like she and Father so desperately wanted.

She would have loved Rhaegar and Jaime wouldn’t have been able to blame her, like he didn’t blame Lyanna Stark for running off with Rhaegar Targaryen. Who would want Robert when you had Rhaegar?

Who would want Robert when you had Rhaegar’s son?

Jaime wondered what the boy looked like, surely not too Targaryen or else this upcoming war would have taken place already, but he wondered if there were little things about the boy.

Jaime knew that he should care about Joffrey and his inheritance, but Jaime didn’t want to marry anyone that wasn’t Cersei. Robert would hopefully die in this war, and Cersei could live at Casterly Rock and Jaime would make Joffrey his heir. Tyrion wanted to be a Maester anyway Jaime remembered from the last time he saw his brother. It would all work out perfectly.

Or, hopefully, Jaime could even join Jon Targaryen’s Kingsguard and Cersei could become the heir she always wanted to be. Either way, Jaime knew he needed to go north now. He didn’t want to be at Casterly Rock yet. He had never truly wanted it anyway, never really needed it. Not like Cersei did. She would be better with Casterly Rock anyway.

 _Hopefully,_ Jaime thought, _that’s what will happen._

The journey to Winterfell was mostly boring for the first few days, with Jaime simply stopping in the evenings at the first inn he could find and leaving as the sun rose, but as Jaime neared Riverrun he suddenly found the Blackfish standing on the road, with a group of soldiers behind him. Jaime stopped and the Blackfish moved forward. Someone at one of the inns must have recognized him and somehow the information must have gotten back to Hoster Tully. Why else would the Blackfish be standing in road, clearly waiting for someone? Clearly waiting for him.

“Why are you here, Kingslayer?” Brynden Tully asked and Jaime ignored the hurt that came from one of his childhood heroes using the name he hated so much.

“If you know another way to get to Winterfell, please tell me. I have a king to serve,” Jaime answered.

The Blackfish narrowed his eyes. “Which king?”

“King Jon Targaryen. Which king do you serve, Ser Brynden?”

The Blackfish tightened his fist and Jaime knew that he was struggling not to punch him. He was grateful Ser Brynden was controlling his anger better than Robert, it was only two days ago that the black eye and split lip had gone.

“Why should I believe that? How do I know that you are not simply going to kill the boy like you killed his grandfather?”

Jaime sighed. “Because before I left King’s Landing, I sent the letter to Ned Stark telling him what Robert planned to do. Why would I do that if I wanted the boy dead?”

Brynden Tully was silent as he looked at Jaime, trying to figure out if he was telling the truth. “And why would you want to help Jon Targaryen when your sister is already Queen?”

Jaime bit his lips and thought for a moment on what to say. Finally he settled on the truth. “So she’ll no longer be married to Robert. I do not care for how he treats my sister, and I think Cersei won’t mind being Lady of Casterly Rock one day.”

In truth, Jaime had not thought of what Cersei would think of him helping to place Jon Targaryen on the throne, though she was almost certainly not thrilled with him. He just hoped that he was telling the truth when he said she wouldn’t mind.

Jaime and Brynden looked at each other in a silent impasse. Finally, the Blackfish sighed. “I’m going to escort you to Riverrun, boy, and we’ll write to Ned Stark and see what he says. Until then, we’re going to keep you close at hand.”

Jaime nodded, his heart sinking. He had thought it would be so easy to simply get to Winterfell and convince Ned Stark to trust him. He should have known it would never be so easy. It never could be.

They arrived at Riverrun by nightfall, the time before hand having been spent in awkward silence as Jaime tried to think of a thing to say. He couldn’t think of thing and Brynden Tully nor any of the other knights seemed to want to say a thing.

Hoster Tully and his son were waiting for Jaime as soon as he entered the great hall to Riverrun. The Blackfish must have sent someone up ahead to inform. Hoster Tully was large and looked unmovable, but Edmure Tully was fidgeting as he watched Jaime with wide eyes.

He probably never seen a Kingslayer before.

“I suppose this means that you too have made the decision to side with the Targaryens,” Jaime said loudly, his voice filling the hall. The Tullys might get the last word in, but Jaime was going to be damned if they got the first.

“I have sided with my daughter and my good-son,” Hoster Tully said. “I never approved of him raising his bastard son with his true-born, but I understand his need of loyalty to his sister.”

 _If we win the war, Jon Targaryen will be too young to rule for many years and Ned Stark will be doing it for him. Your elder daughter will become the most powerful woman in the Seven Kingdoms as the de facto Queen and Lady of Winterfell, wife to the man who controls a region almost as big as the rest of the Seven Kingdoms combined. If we lose the war, she’ll be regent for her son until he comes of age and still Lady of Winterfell. Jon Arryn is neutral, he practically_ raised _Robert, and so nothing will happen to your other daughter. Between both of them, your life could be pleaded for and spared. What do you have to lose?_

Perhaps no Tully was thinking like that, but it was the truth.

Jaime remembered that there were talks of him marrying Lysa Tully, but his joining the Kingsguard had destroyed that plan. Sometimes she would look at him at King’s Landing with longing, surely imagining a life she could have had, but Cersei hated it and would scare her away. A trout was nothing against a lion.

Jaime didn’t think it was best to say that however. Jaime thought quickly for something that was the truth, but not the full truth. Luckily, he found the perfect thing to say.

“I’m siding with the man who protected his sister’s son all these years and would have done so for many years more if Robert had never found out about him. I would have done the same thing for my sister if we had been in the same situation.”

That sounded good enough to appease the fishes, though Jaime was surprised about how much he actually believed the words. Hopefully everyone else would believe them too.

Hoster Tully and his brother shared a look that Jaime couldn’t read, and eventually Lord Tully turned back to look at him. “My brother is planning to go North in a few days to help with the war planning. You’ll go with him if that’s still your decision. Until then, you’ll stay here as our guest.”

Jaime smiled. He was surprised that they seemed to believe him so readily, but it was nice for once to be assumed to not be untrustworthy simply because he was a Lannister. And a Kingslayer. Or well, readily assumed to not be untrustworthy as soon as he said some kind words. He probably should start thinking about his life and his choices, but he liked it.

It was nice.


	6. Ned II

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy the chapter! (Also, the next one is going to be an interesting POV, but if you want to guess, I'll tell you if you're right.) :)

“What do you think?” Ned asked Catelyn as soon as she looked up from the letter. He had tried to involve her in every step of the preparation he could, hoping that it could make up for the past few years he had spent lying to her about Jon and the truth. She seemed receptive to it, more than she was to him.

Ned had gotten two letters today. One was from Hoster Tully, informing him that he was sending his brother Brynden to Winterfell along with Jaime Lannister, who they had found nearing Riverrun with the intention of heading north. For a second, Ned had been wary about Jaime Lannister apparently joining their side until he remembered that without Ser Jaime, they might not have been informed of Robert’s plans and Ned felt a rush of shame.

That had not been the letter he’d shown Catelyn, he had simply told her that before he handed her the other.

The one he had shown her was from Dorne, written by Prince Doran himself, and the one he had been most shocked by.

The letter stated that he wanted to side with Winterfell and proclaim Jon Targaryen as the rightful king of the Seven Kingdoms. He would be sending his brother, Prince Oberyn, North to aid in the war plans and asked for three things.

He asked for Gregor Clegane and Amory Lorch’s heads, which Ned could easily give him. Personally, he even wanted to send Tywin Lannister to the Wall for what he had ordered to do to Princess Elia and her children. He asked for Prince Viserys, Jon’s other uncle as hard as it was for Ned to finally let himself think that, to be betrothed to his daughter, Princess Arianne. It felt odd to Ned, to be making a major life decision for a boy he had only met once and at that seven years ago, but Ned thought of Jon and he could do it. And last, but not least, he asked for a position of the small council for either him or his brother if a victory should happen. That was easy to agree to also. Dorne was an incredibly useful ally and one that Ned was lucky to have

He still wanted to hear Catelyn’s opinion.

Catelyn bit her lip before she began to speak. “These are terms that can be easily met, and Dorne is a very powerful ally to have.”

Ned nodded, but then Catelyn continued. “But why do they want to side with you? Jon is the product of their sister’s dishonor. Could you have sided with them if Lyanna and Elia’s positions had been reversed, and this was her son this war was now centered around?”

Ned thought he could have, if only because Robert was planning on killing a five-year-old boy and neither Ned nor Lyanna would have stood for that. Perhaps that was Dorne’s trail of thought also. He told this to Catelyn, but it was clear on her face that she still had doubts. Ned sighed. “Perhaps they are also willing to let bygones be bygones, because they hate the Lannisters more than they could ever hate us and see us as a way to get revenge. And we can question their motives for this decision as much as we like, but we cannot afford to lose any ally, Cat, especially not one who is reaching out to us and is as powerful as Dorne.”

Catelyn sighed. “You have a good point. I just can’t help this feeling of worry I have about it.”

Ned reached over across his desk and squeezed her hand. She looked at him and smiled, then slowly lowered her gaze before she spoke again. “I understand why you did it. It pains me to think about it and say it, but I understand.”

This was the first time they had spoken of his lie and Ned jumped at that the chance to keep talking about it. He didn’t know when Catelyn would want to talk about it with him again. “Would you have done the same if it was Lysa?”

Catelyn gave a bitter laugh. “Perhaps. If I had not been pregnant with Robb, I might have lied and said it was my bastard.” She looked deep into his eyes. “I would have _told_ you though.”

Ned sighed. “I wanted to, after a while. I wanted to tell you everything, but only two people other than me knew, Howland Reed and Wylla, and that is only because Howland Reed was the only survivor aside from me and Jon at the Tower of Joy and Wylla was Lyanna’s midwife and as you know, Jon’s wetnurse. _Benjen_ didn’t even know. I didn’t want you or him to have that knowledge in case something like this happened, that way you would be in less danger than you are know.”

Catelyn absentmindedly nodded. “How do you think Robert found out?” she asked.

Ned shook his head. “I don’t know. Howland would never tell, he was prepared to take that secret to the grave. I would never have thought that Wylla would tell, she adored Jon and understood the need to keep him safe.”

“So either one of them betrayed you, one of them was tricked into giving up the answer, or you were wrong when you said that only two people other than you knew the truth and this unknown person decided it was now the right time to let this secret out,” Catelyn stated and Ned nodded before he continued on.

“As much as I wish to know what happened, we don’t, and at this point, we can’t afford to think of what might have happened and just think on where we need to go from here.”

“Where are we going from here?” she asked. It was a simple enough question, one that he should know the answer to, but for the first time, Ned realized that he needed to think further ahead than just that he needed to win the war. He had to think of what would come of him, of Jon, of his family when it was all said and done.

“If we win,” Catelyn said, “Jon will have to be King. I know we say it, but it doesn’t feel real. It’s the truth though. If he isn’t, he’s a threat to Robert. Even if Robert was willing to let Jon have Dragonstone or some other piece of land, what’s to say that someone else won’t decide to place Jon on the throne. We might as well do it know. He’s too young to rule by himself however. He’ll need a regent.”

Ned nodded as he put his face in his hands. He was already exhausted and it wasn’t even noon.

“I’ll need to be regent, won’t I?” Catelyn gave him a bitter smile in response and Ned groaned. The thought of having to be in King’s Landing until Jon turned sixteen filled him with dread, but he could do it for his nephew, for the boy he had come to love like a son.

He heard a chair scrape and before he could look up to see why, Catelyn embraced him. “You can do it,” she whispered and surprisingly, he believed her.

He stood up to kiss her, and for a minute, the world and all his worries seemed to slip away until it was just him and Catelyn and happiness.

“Mama! Papa! Jon’s going to marry Sansa!” Robb yelled as he entered and Jon close behind him, carrying Sansa.

“What?” Catelyn asked as she knelt before their son and Ned took Sansa from Jon’s arms.

Robb nodded his head as he continued on. “Since Jon’s King, if he marries Sansa, she’ll be Queen. They need to marry.”

Ned knew if he looked at Catelyn, they would both break into hysterics. He settled on focusing on Sansa, who was gripping tightly onto his hair. Robb had taken well to the revelation of his brother actually being his cousin and the fact that he was king. He had taken to saying that he was going to be various different positions for Jon, such as his Hand, the Lord Commander of his Kingsguard, or the Master of Honor. Ned had tried explaining there was no such thing as a Master of Honor, but then Jon said that he would make one and it was all over from there.

His son’s innocent comment though made him think. Offering a betrothal to a Lord Paramount, a promise that their daughter would be Queen as soon as she and Jon were both sixteen. . . . That might get an ally that they would not have otherwise.

He said as much to Catelyn later, after they distracted Robb and Jon with the promise that Ned would come help them practice swords later but they should know all the Lord Paramounts and the great lords in the nine regions if they were going to be King and Hand. The two boys nodded solemnly as two little boys could do, and they went to find Maester Luwin.

Catelyn nodded as Ned sat back down, Sansa falling asleep in his arms.

“Who?” she asked him. “Dorne wants Prince Viserys as Princess Arianne’s consort, and she’s far older besides, and there are no other girls in the Martells, but if there were I would say you should. The Greyjoys have a girl, but she is too old again. The Tyrells, though, have a daughter his age, and they sided with the Targaryens five years ago.”

“Robert, or one of his advisors, would have had the same thought, and Mace Tyrell might want him.”

“Then unfortunately, I think we have to let Mace Tyrell decide.”


	7. Doran I

Doran watched the children play in the Water Gardens. He could hear their joyful laughter, and he closed his eyes as he listened to the sound. So light, so happy, so innocent. Doran found himself longing for the days when he was there.

But alas, he could not spend his days in dreams and wants. He forced himself to open his eyes and ignore the sounds as he focused on the parchment in front of him while he waited for Oberyn to obey his summons for an audience.

It was Eddard Stark agreeing to his terms. Doran did not know what he had been hoping for, what he wanted, but the letter from Lord Stark simply filled him with dread. All it did was confirm what Doran knew, that he would have to bow to some boy-king in a few months’ time, a boy that should have been Aegon.

“So am I going North?” Oberyn asked, entering Doran’s study without bothering to knock and breaking him from his thoughts. Doran sighed and nodded, waving his hand towards the seat in front of his desk without bothering to look up. He heard the familiar sound of clinking, and assumed that his brother was pouring himself a glass of wine before he sat down.

“Yes,” Doran said, his voice stronger than he felt. “You are going North to add the Targaryen cause.”

Doran looked up to see Oberyn shrug and take a drink from his glass as he lounged on the chair. “I assumed so,” he said casually. “Ned Stark is a good man, from the little I know, and he would not simply let the King walk over him to reach his nephew, _our_ king.” He raised his glass and gave a mocking smile. “Rhaegar’s son is the king. Pity it had to be Lyanna Stark’s brat, and not Aegon.”

“Be that as it may,” Doran said, warning creeping into his voice. “I would rather Ned Stark rule through a four year old, than Tywin Lannister through a murderous drunk.”

“Oh, brother, you misunderstand me,” Oberyn said, wide-eyed and wounded, though Doran knew that it was all fake. “I do not agree than King Jon Targaryen, First of His Name, is not the better king, but I must ask why we care?”

“I do not want to be stuck with a line of Baratheon’s,” Doran said evenly.

“No,” Oberyn said, leaning close to his brother and dropping his voice down to conspiratorial whisper despite the fact that no one was around to hear, “I mean, why do we even bother with the Seven Kingdoms at large? Why don’t we declare our own independence? It’s not like Arianne would be Queen as you wished, nor is this a little Queen that you could marry Quentyn to. And Baratheon and Stark will be too involved in their own war, in their own costs, that they might simply let us go on our merry way. Why not?”

Doran looked at his brother. Oberyn was nearly thirty, had five daughters and another child on the way, but half the time, he reminded Doran of that wild youth who didn’t believe the world was big enough to contain him. Sometimes, Doran wondered if that boy was right.

Oberyn had made good points, points that Doran himself had considered. But he did not want to break away with the Seven Kingdoms. Eventually, Dorne would have need for them, and while the Seven Kingdoms might be content to simply let them walk away now, one day, a Baratheon or a Targaryen might want them back, and Doran didn’t know if Dorne could stand as strong. It was better, Doran thought, to align themselves with the Starks, make themselves indispensable, and set up the pieces so Arianne could make the moves.

“For many reasons, dear brother,” was all that Doran said to his brother though. “Ones that I feel you might find ways to counter argue, and use to try to lead us down a dangerous path.”

Oberyn smiled darkly. “The gods are very kind to Dorne. They made you the first, and I the last.”

Doran looked at his brother, his eyes heavy and sad. “They were not so kind. If they were, they would have made Elia the first.”

Oberyn looked at him in surprise for a moment, before his eyes softened. “Fair point, dear brother. Fair point.”

Doran felt the pressing weight of his grief over Elia, over the lost chances, over the Queen that should have been and the children who should have ruled. He knew that Oberyn felt the same, but Doran also knew that there was no use in dwelling in it. Not when he had a chance to make things right.

“Dorne is not weak, brother,” Doran said, breaking the silence. “And we live almost alone with the Iron Throne. But without it, we _are_ alone. Without it, if any help is needed, it will not be given. I know you, as well as many other Dornish people, do not see it. But I do, and so I am not willing to go down into history as the Prince who left.”

Oberyn looked at him carefully with heavy lids for a few minutes before nodding curtly. “I understand, dear brother. So to the North I go?”

“To the North you go.”

To the North his brother would head to help put Jon Targaryen on the throne. In his heart, Doran knew this was the right thing. So many in Dorne blamed Lyanna Stark for the Rebellion. Doran would not claim to know what had been going on in that maiden’s head, nor his good-brother’s, but he knew that no matter what had happened years ago had to be placed behind what was happening now.

“What do you think will happen when we have King Jon?” Oberyn asked quietly. “Do you think Elia will be remembered?”

Doran nodded. “Ned Stark agreed to all my terms. Justice will be gotten for our sister and her children.”

Oberyn shook his head. “That’s not what I meant. Do you think in a hundred, two hundred, three hundred years from now, Elia’s name will be remembered as something other than a small note for those studying the period?”

The weight in Doran’s heart seemed to crush him. “I do not know. Do you think any of us will be?”

Oberyn shrugged. “Probably, if only for this war. But it is not in her name we fight, but only the child’s. We will not be getting justice for Elia, but protecting Jon Targaryen.”

“Does it truly matter why? Do you think people will honestly have known her name either way?” Doran asked with honest curiosity. He had never known that Oberyn was thinking of such things.

Oberyn looked down at his glass. “Wishful thinking perhaps, but I had wanted Elia’s name to be known. She would have been such a great queen, one of the best Westeros would have ever seen. The fact that she will be nothing more than a few lines in a dusty old book. . . . She should have had them written about her.”

“Then we will make sure she is known,” Doran said fiercely, feeling old passions coming back that he thought had been long forgotten. “But she will not be known through war and vengeance, but through peace and kindness. We will set up orphanages and charities in her name; we will make her name synonymous with hope and love. She will be remembered as the inspiration of thousands and a reminder of what she could have accomplished if things had gone differently. I will not allow our sister to be forgotten.”

Oberyn smiled warmly at his brother, but before he could say a word they were interrupted.

“Papa?” he heard from the door. He and Oberyn both turned their gaze into the direction of the voice. It was Arianne, her hair a wet mess from what had surely been Obara dunking her head into the baths. At nine years old, she was the age when she was old enough to start truly learning about what would be needed for her as heir, though in truth Doran had been teaching her what it would be important to know as queen, but she was still young enough to enjoy childhood games.

“Yes, darling?” he said. “What do you need?”

“I heard someone talking about a boy in the North. They say he’s the son of Rhaegar Targaryen, but he’s not the son of Aunt Elia.”

Doran looked at Oberyn. Oberyn shrugged. “I’m going to have to explain to five little girls. You can handle one.”

Doran sighed. “That’s the truth, Arianne. Jon Targaryen is the son of Rhaegar as well as the son of Lyanna Stark, not your Aunt Elia.”

Arianne looked at him, her brown eyes filled with an undefinable emotion. Doran felt a pang when he realized he could not say in the least how his daughter would react to this kind of news. He should know how his daughter would think. He had spent much of his daughter’s childhood preparing for a marriage to King Viserys Targaryen, not Prince Viserys. For a moment, he wished that Jon Targaryen had never been found out about so that the time hadn’t been wasted.

Doran knew that he had no one to blame but himself though in truth. He should have done more with his daughter, not just simply have mapped out her future.

Arianne walked up to him, and turned her big brown eyes on him. “What were you talking about?” she asked.

Doran and Oberyn looked at each other briefly, a silent conversation taking place. In a moment, they decided to tell her the truth.

“We were talking about your Aunt Elia, love, and foundations we wanted to set up in her name.”

“Yes, little Ari,” Oberyn said. His brother got up and refilled his cup of wine, and then filled another. A third glass got a splash but in it. Doran and Arianne watched him with matching curiosity, as he proceed to hand them each a cup. Oberyn sat back down before he began to speak. “I say, before we talk anymore of Jon Targaryen or Stark’s or anything else, we toast to Lady Elia and share ideas about her. Would you like that, Ari?”

She nodded with a wide smile on her face, and again Doran felt a pang of guilt. She was much more comfortable with her uncle than her own father, and Doran only had himself to blame.

Oberyn raised his cup, as did Doran and Arianne.

“To Elia, the kindest sister and the greatest queen there ever shall be.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Forgive me for taking so long. If you want to follow me on tumblr, I'm at [salazarastark](https://salazarastark.tumblr.com/).


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